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2015 Chewonki Wilderness Trips for Teens begin in the rain and step into the sun

It is hard to believe that we are already a week into the first session. Our wilderness trip groups have experienced a mixed bag of weather during their first week in the field. After a rainy opening day the rest of the week was sunny and classic Maine summer weather with temperatures in the 70’s and cool nights. Views of the northern lights were reported across the state at the end of the week. Sunday was a wash-out on the coast with a good bit of rain but the sun returned Monday afternoon and looking forward, the rest of the week looks like typical Maine weather with a few showers and then a long multi-day stretch of sunny weather extending through the 4th of July weekend. We have received reports back from all of our wilderness trips and this week the first round of resupplies is taking place.
The Maine Appalachian Trail Northbound hikers started their trip through the 100 Mile Wilderness stretch of the Appalachian Trail just north of Monson and they have already backpacked over the Barren Chairback Range. On Monday we met up with the group to provide their resupply at the Hermitage, a beautiful stand of old growth white pines; they are now enjoying a rest day at a campsite on the West Branch of the Pleasant River near Gulf Hagas. Tomorrow they will continue following the AT northward over Whitecap Mountain. The summit of Whitecap provides one of the first views of their end goal, Mount Katahdin, still in the distance, over 50 miles as the crow flies. The Mariners and Maine Coast Kayakers have traveled past Pemaquid Point and crossed Muscongus Bay. We had a day of heavy rain and gusty winds this past Sunday on the coast and the Sea Kayakers decided to stay put on Crow Island, before moving on to Harbor Island on Monday. The Mariners arranged for a mooring in Port Clyde on Sunday and camped on nearby Hupper Island, both groups are now making their way toward Penobscot Bay. The Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail canoe group has paddled across the northern reach of Moosehead Lake; they climbed Mount Kineo and completed the Northeast Carry portage. The group is currently camped on Gero Island on Chesuncook Lake and by the weekend they will have portaged across the infamous Mud Pond Carry and into Chamberlain Lake. They will receive their resupply on the Allagash at Chamberlain Bridge before heading east toward Baxter State Park and Webster Stream. Our Umbagog Whitewater kayaking crew has settled into the routine of spending their days refining paddling skills on the moving water and rapids of the Rapid River and returning each evening to their spectacular campsite in Sunday Cove on Lake Umbagog. The Campsite in Sunday Cove is nestled into a grove of pine and cedar and offers a magnificent view to the west toward the northernmost peaks in the Presidential Range.
Early next week we look forward to welcoming our Boatbuilders and George River Canoe Expeditioners to campus.
Greg Shute
Director of Outdoor Programs